There are many trendy spots in Switzerland known for their clientele and their fashionable parties.
While St. Moritz is now a prime New Year’s hangout for the Russian billionaire set, Verbier remains the trendy spot for young, boisterous English expatriates. The Mont-Fort pub is one of their favorite watering holes, witnessing a flow of beer unseen elsewhere in Switzerland.
All winter long, every evening in Verbier is the scene of an after-dinner pilgrimage of trendy young vacationers, trekking up along the tiny road next to the Rosalp Hotel.
Verbier –which the New York Times has recently (about 20 years belatedly) designated as the hot spot in Switzerland for ski nightlife—has two dozen pubs and bars, an enormous number for a small ski village. There are chic places, tranquil spots, typical Valaisan bars… but whether one is a snowboarder or a ski racer, the place to be is the Mont-Fort pub.
With its outdoor green lights, this converted large chalet has two floors. In the summer, it is true, the restaurants of Zurich pour the most beer in Switzerland, but in the winter it is the Mont-Fort pub, which proudly claims to pour over 900 hectoliters over the season.
From December through the end of March, the club is packed with drinkers. Ask the manager, Colin Barber, who has run the place for over 15 years, and he’ll tell you that it’s like that every night – impossible to move around, both floors packed and riotous noise everywhere, Carlsberg puddles everywhere, and holidaymakers downing cocktails of Red Bull and Jägermeister.
One hears little French here, despite the fact that French is the regional language, the age range is 18-25, and most are English, with the rest being an international English-speaking clientele. There’s dancing and the usual pick-up scene that goes with. A DJ keeps the place moving and by the late hours, eyes become vitreous and and clogged with inebriation.
The cynical say that Mont-Fort is a corner of London without the fog, but in expensive Verbier, where else can you eat hamburgers, fish and chips, sausages and meatballs (which the Swedish adore) , and for less than 20 francs?
Among the other, less trendy, watering holes are:
Offshore - serves a traditional British fry up for breakfast. Also busy all the time, this place has great fresh filled baguettes and is the closest après ski bar to the Medran lifts - so you can water here before tottering back on the slopes.
The Farinet - opens 4.30pm till 10pm and has live bands to accompany their lethal shakers.
Fer de Cheval - a popular choice for coffee, lunch or dinner also a popular après ski watering hole.
Kings Bar - a cocktail bar … makers of the ‘Great Martini’ ……
Le Croc - Has live music and killer drinks. Fight over the sofas or get there early and try to sell the spot to a latecomer….
The Farm - chic and expensive ….
Marshall’s - the obvious choice to head for when the bars shut. A basement-style club with attitude
Taratatas - Start filling up at about 1.30am. Now you’re wading into the crowd that will be never be up to hit the slopes before noon. Buy your own bottle here and party the night away with your choice of mixers. British music.
Harold’s Burger and Internet café - do your email here — let the world know that you’re in Verbier and the’re not.
